The Sun. — London, England, 1818-03-27 00:00:00

UNIT ED STATES. (T)onz The National latelligencer.) TZEPORT ON COLONIAL TRADE. ITOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, FEn. 9. Report of the Committee to whom was referred iiett rirt of the President's Message which re le:es to the Commeicial latercotirse of the United States with the 13ritish West India Isliteds and North American Colonies, awl also o.t the petition of sundry inhabitants of differ ent parts of the District of Maine, on the saute subject. The Committee to whom was referred that part of the President's Message which relates -to the commercial intercourse of the United States with the British West India Islands and North Amen rican Colonies, and also the petition of. the inha bitants of the different parts of the district of Maine, on the saute subject, report, That, by the statement marked A, annexed to this report, it appears that the average amount of duties upon merchandize, annually imported into the United States front the British West India Islands and North American colonial possessions, from 1802 to 1816, excluding the period from theCoininenee ment of the restrictive system to the termination of the late war, exceeds two -millions of dollars. TI value of this merchandize upon which these ditties accrued is supposed to be equal to seven dollars per annum. The statement 13 shows, that the average annual amount of ex ports to the same places, principally of domestic production, up to 1817, excluding the time of the oeeration of the restrictive system, and the con tinuance of the war, have exceeded 6,500,000 dollars. The statement C shows that in the year 1815, the tonount of duties on merchandize imported in American vessels from the British \Vest India Islands and North Amesican colonial possessions was, to the amount of duties on mer chandize imported - in Et Irish vessels,-as one to fonr ; in 1816, as one to five and a Ina, or two. to eleven. Taking the ratio of 1816 as the-basis of calculation, and "it is believed to - afford the safest and most solid, as past experience shows a constant d:minution of the ansctunt of ditties on goods imported-in vessels of the United States, it is estimated, supposing the same proportion exists • in- the exports, - that American vessels are used in the transportation annually of 2,177,924 dol 14rs' worth of merchandize, and British vessels 11,322,070 dollar's worth of the most bulky or tides of commerce, one half of which are of the growth, production, or manufacture of the United states. This inequality in the advantaies of this commerce, to the Injury of the navigating interest. of this canonry, arisrs front the rigorous enforce ment of. the colonial system of Great Britain as to' the United States, while it is relaxed to all other nations who are friendly to the British em-, pine, and have colonial possessions. - The portion Of the commerce which is carried on in American vessels arrises from accidental and temporary sus pensions of the systems which the Governors of the islands, &e. are permitted, under the pressure i of dire necessity, to direct—an employment for out seamen and vessels, precarious and momentary, rather irritating and tantalizing than profitable. This intercourse. appears to the Committee the worst possible state as it regards the navi gation of the United States, while it is in the hest for that of Great Britain. Justice and policy on the part of- every wise Government, its best exertions to secure to its own citizens a perfect eqtedity,in the transportation of toe: chat (Ike Ivirb the people. of every nation respectively with -woom it has commercial intercourse. Some Governments are governed by a.pulicy more con- . _ tracted, desiring to give to their navigators the exclusive tr.nsportation of their native products, while they desire to participate in carrying the rod;fetions. of other countries. The Committee arc satisfied that the United States will never be governed. by the selfish views of- the. hitter class, but ti;isr that it- has-not been, nor will it ever be, re;ardlcss of the just motives Ott the to:trier ; far 'it is a duty to protect the navigating int.crcst. This duty can be perforated- in relation to the sub- jeer of this Report, by a conveutional fitipulatioo with Great Nitain, formed upon the basis of re- ciproeity, or by legislative Acts, operating exclu sively against the British navigator engaged in this trade. With the first mode this "lous e bas no Ituther concern, ►han to know that ttw other branch of the Government has performed its ditty. Repeated and hitherto unavailing applications have been made to the British Government. Jr is not, however, surprising that they have been un successful, since no adequate motive at present exists to induce Great Britain to arrange this in tercourse by convention.. The offer contained in the articles annexed to this Report, the most ra tio►►al.and reciprocally advantageoua of any ever made, may be 'considered as dictated by a spirit of Accommodation, whic)i, under the pressure of adequate motives, might he fostered into a deter mination to grant all that we could reasonably tisk, or they be expected to yield. 'llethreefirst articles, with some practicable motlific.i,t ions, would, by the adaptation of our commercial laws to tic stipulation contained in them, cot:finiug the commerce strictly to those articles which Americans were permitted to carry, would place the trHde upon as favourable grottuils as could be expected. It would, no doubt, in-a short time, be followed by a complete abandonment of the residue of the present jealous system of exclusion. The Committee cannot, however, but approve the prompt .rejection of this proposition; since these articles. are connected with another.ahoge- they inadmissible, without a departure (rpm what they deem the settled• policy of this. country, in relatiot► to the trade with the Indians within its Jurisdiction. The British Ministry having assur- ed this Government that, these articles were all dolt could be granted, consistent, with .their opi nions of the best interests of the_British empire, thele is no longer any hope of effecting this de sirable object by negociatjon. It remainsfor Con gress to determine what course is to b.e pursued, , It it—were possible to. separate the interest of one class. of the commtunity from !bat of another, it must be obvious that, however t4cal to the navi. owl., the present state ot,things is not injurious to the cultivator. of the ;soil. The productions -of his labour are carried with facility to a ready market, and he receives in return all tbose arti cles which taste and habit have, rendered necA sary to his -comfort. But this .separation is impossible, and the necessary connexion be tereeo the two interests is apparent, when it is remembered, that the competition of Ame rican with lot eign navigation is essential to keep the ex pence of transportation, always paid by the cultivator and consumer. If this iit ,lury is not now iippat cot, it will ultimately be felt when the total ruin of the naeig 'Hog interest will deprive us of the power to remedy the evil. The Committee forbear to press those important con siderations of preparation for national defence so in separably connected with the inquiry. They feel that there is on this point but one sentiment among the Representatives of the People and in the Na dolt. • Experience, prudence, gratitude for the glory sited upon, our country, .and the confident and .lelightfol anticipation of, future renown, all conspire to ensure the necessary sacrifices for the nreservation and interest of the seamen of the United Slates. This object, so far as it may lie promoted by a participation in the cont mercial intercourse with the British American Colonies, may.he effected by a trifling and tern put ary sacrifice of the _interests of agriculture.— A slight knowledge of the situation of the British West India Colonies authorizes the position, tWat a commerce *with the United States is essential to their prosperity, if not to their existence. The best market for the sale of their snrplus products is•__ found bete, while the grain, provisions, and lumber, articles of the first_necessity, received in returts, are pi beat ed on terms infinitely more 0- vantageous than they are to be had for their use in any other part of the world. But for occasional supplies of those articles front the United States, some of the islands wo;,ld be deserted by their-in, habitants, or a change produced in thk it agrictl- . tnrc, ruinous to their commercial interest. The people of the United States are in a very different situation. The British West India market is con venient. but not necessary to their accommoda tion. All the articles imported from them can be procured • abundantly, upon terms equally ad vantageous, from other quarters. 'The annexed tables, marked D• and E, show the amount of imports of the chief articles of their product from the British West - Indies, &c. and the proportion it bears to the whole amount of imports of similar articles from other-West India Islands, &c. Many of these can be, and are procured from other quar ters of the world, with which commerce in Ame rican vessels is not restrained. The demand for all can he supplied without a recourse to t be British West India Islands, and a supply from other toar- • ters will be obtained by toe employment of Ame rican vessels and Am e ri can 'seamen, iu common with the vessels and seamen of the country from which it may be brought. The Only da nger t o be apprehended is, that the cultivator, losing the British West India. market for the sale of Iris exports, would lose with it the ability to procure the commodities lie formerly receiv ed in return. The extent of this danger de pends upon the correctness of the Position laid down—that this commerce is essential to the Bri tish :West India Islands, and only convenient to the United States. If the necessaries of life can, only be, or are procured on t e r ms i n fi n i te ly more advantageous here than any where else, it follows they will still be carried to the British IVest Indies, it not directly under a Convention between the two Governments, circuitously through some mutually friendly port. It is perfectly true that the Nest /mild Islands are capable of producing all that is necessary for their own subsistence ; but this must be at the expence of their commercial importance ; the abandonment of the most profitable, for, to them, an unprofitable cul tivation. The general use and consequent high juice cif West India produce will ensure a,confinuance of the usual course of agriculture, and will, as heretofore, operate as a bounty upon the growth of bread stuffs in the United States, In favourable ,seasons and in. peaceful times, Europe affords a surplus of huthan ailment, atilt supplies arc to be fouhd on the- African coast of the Meditcrranein ; but these come loaded with he increased expeocts ao,dthc dangers of the I lengthened transportation of heavy articles. In the event of one of those desolating tempests, of but too frequent occurrence in i these otherwise fa : roared regions, destroying, in" an instant the la bours of a life, and scattering the hoards collected by p:udence for the subsistence of the colony, the distance It ont these places of relief renders timely assistance to the on fort un at e impossi bl e. Tie North American colonies cannot furnish these necessary. supplies. The navigation of the principal river which cart ies the greatest portion of her stores to the ocean, is closed the better part of the year, and is not practicable at that season which is usually walked by these calamities. It is believed, too, that by far the lrrgest portion of the.apparent exw• ports of Canada of bread soars, and even of lumber, &c.- are carried. front the United States. There must be at all times a dependence, to a certain ex- • tent,: upon this country. And it ,a conventional relaxation is not produced by a prohibition of•this direct intercourse, or the imposition of such charges as shall amount almost to prohibition, it follows that.the trade will be circuitous. In this event, the export trade, instead of being carried on exclusively in British bottoms, - will be prose cuted itt American vessels, and the vessels of that foreign nation in whose ports the parties may, by tacit arrangement, meet for the exchange'of their commodities The return cargoes, if of British growth, under the Navigation Act of the United States, be brbught wholly in American vessels. The only question remaining to be examined, is as to the mode of effecting this. desirable result —By total prohibition of all intercourse or by burdensome charges on the trade, if confined to British vessels ? The Corntr►ittee believe that the latter is to he preferred, and have accordingly re ported a Bill.- There is•no essential difference be tween them, except as the one or the other is more or less inconvenient in its" execution. The effect of Onerous ditties is more slow, but equally certain the pressure will soon be felt, and "the beneficial consequences gradually follow. The stream of commerce will easily and naturally flow i nto th e desired channel, without. the risk of those dangers xvhiclf It sudden and violent effort to divert it might produce. A short time will prove the , efficacy of this arrangement, and justify its con tinuance, modification, or abandonment. It is recommended too by its facility of execution. It requires no further alteration in the existing laws. It is not necessary to arm; for its enforCe 'trent, the petty officers of the customs with powers dangerous and odious to a free people. For further and more detailed information on the subject of this report, the Committee refer the Elouse to document marked F, furnished from the Department of State. [Accompanying this report was the Bill which has been already announced in The National In telligeneer, by the title of " A Bill supplementary to the Act regulating Duties on Imports and Ton nage ;" and the several statements, the substance of which is noticed in the body of the report. There is also a statement furnished from the De partment, and presumed to . be the production of an intelligent American merchant, on the practi cal effect of the existing commercial treaty with Great Britain.] THE ARMY. Horse Guards, Afarchln, At a General Court-Martial held at the Royal Barracks, Dublin, on the 18th December, 1817, 'and continued by a:ljournments to the oth Jan. 1818, Quatter Alaster JOHN JOLLY, of the 4th (or Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards, was arraigned upon the under-mentioned Charges, viz. :- Ist. " For malting excessive, exorbitant, and improper Charges against the Non-Commissioned Officers and Private Soldiers of the 4th, or Royal Irish Regiment of Dragoon -Guards, whilst stationed in the Centre District, and in Dub lin, betwevathe periods of the 19th Day of October, 1816, and 2 , lth day of June, 1817, and in some instances at a later date, in various Articles of Regimental Necessaries, compris ing a Stable-jacket, a pair of Duck-trowsers, a Forage-cap, and a pair of Owl) Oreralls fur each man, which Articles . , as _charged, he, the said Regimental Quitter Master John Jolly, provided and issued to the Troops of the Regiment." 2d. " For having acted in disobedience to the General Re gulations and Orders of the Army, dated Adjutant-General's- Office, Horse-Guards, 12th August, 1811, Page 92, be,,Quar ter.Master John Jolly, having at the times above-mentioned, that is, between the 11th day of October, 1816, and the 26th day of June, 1817, and in some instances at a later date, con tinued to make the same excessive and exorbitant Charges, thereby obtaining a great profit, and defrauding the Non commissioned Officers and Private Soldiers of the 4th, or Royal Irish Regiment of Dragoon Guards, aga inst whom the said Charges w e r e ma d e f or t h e A r ti cles of Necessaries so furnished to them, being highly prejudicial and injuri ous to their interest, and detrimental to his Majesty's Service," ' Upon .which Charges the Court eame to the fol ' lowing decision : " The Court taking into "their serious consi deration all the evidence laid before them, and the matters urged in support of the prosecution, and ' by the prisoner in his defence, do find the pri soner, Quarter Master John Jolly, of the 4th (or Royal Irish Regiment of) Dragoon Guard, Nat Guilty of the Charges as above preferred against and do therefore most fully acquit the pri soner, Quarter Master John Jolly, from the said Charges, and from every part thereof." " The Court feel it to be their duty to observe, that it does not appear that any Overcharge has been made, or fraud committed, by any person in the 4th Dragoon Guards, in the supply of the ar ticles of necessaries in question. to the Noncom missioned officers - and soldiers.. of. that . Regi ment." • The Prince Regent has .been pleased, in the name and ore the bebalf of lais.Mejesty, to approve and confirm the finding and sentence of the Court. The Prince Regent at the same time taking in to his consideration, that (as appears upon the proceedings)., Regimental Court-martial had for merly assemb)ed for the investigation of a com plaint preferred by some men of Captain White's troop, regarding an alleged overcharge in certain articles of equipment, which the said Court de clared to be groundless, frivolous, and vexatious, and that notwithstanding the concurrent opinion of the Commanding Officer . of - the Regiment, and the General who inspected it, as well as the other General Officers who subsequently investigated the matter, that there was no ground for the legation ; yet that as Captain White took upon himself, in oppositiOn - to all this.authorityoo'per sist in urging the complaint, it was considered ex . - pedient, in a case involving the interests of the soldier, to institute the fullest enquiry before the highest tribunal, and Captain White's charges against Quarter Master Jolly were accordingly ordered for investigation before this Court Mar tial, in order finally to decide, whether justice had been done to the men of his troop, as well as to give the Quarter Master an opportunity of vindicating his character, .from the aspersions which the charges of Captain White had cast upon it. Quarter Master Jolly having been fully acquit. ted of a ll an d every part of the . charges preferred against him, and the Court Martial having de ' dared that " no oveteharge appears to have been made, or fraud comthitted, by any per Son in the 4th Dragoon Guards, in the supply of the neces. caries to the non-commissioned officers and sol diers of that regiment," the Prince Regent has been fully conVinced by such a result .of the groundless nature of Ca'ntain White's representa tions; and as the pertinacious conduct of that Officer, in so obstinately persisting in hiS accusa tions, not only evinces a reprehensible opposition to superior authority, but tends mainly to subvert ,thedisdipline and good order o f regiment, by inculcating groundlesS discontent anti suspicion in the men, against their officers, his Royal High ness has been pleased, under all the circumstances O f the case, to consider that the Continuance of Captain White in the 4th Dragoon Guards would not tend to the advantage, the concord, or the ,discipline of that corps, and has therefore com manded that. it shall beintimated to him, that his Royal Highness has no furtheroceaSion for his services in the army, but that he will be allowed to retire upon the regulated value of his coin mission. lhe Comntander in Chief directs, that the Charges prefer ed against Quarter Master. John Jolly, of the 4111 Pragoon Guards, together with the' finding and septence of the Conn, and the Prince Regent's commands thercon;shall be en tered in the General Order Book, and read at the head of every regiment in his Majesty's service. By command, of. his Royal Highness the .C6ier,- kL BARRY CALVERT, Adjutant-General.' POLICE INTELLIGENCE DESPERATE RIOT, AND FOUR PERSONS SHOT. Laraarrn-STREET.---,-Yesterday George rirdley. John Howells, and John Rippon, three notot ioutt characters, being part of an extensive gang, were brought up in the custody of Dalton, Fortune, and Foster, officers belonging to this officer charged under circumstances of the most dig' graceful nature, of which the following are the particulars : It appeared that some villains on Wednesday morning last entered the back part of the • pre.. mises of Mr. Sheffield, butcher, of High-street, Aldgate, and stole therefrom 3 fine bullocks (which had been brought from the country the day pre' vious), for the purpose, as it appeared, of creating a riot and crowd to enable them to commit rlepre dations about the town. On the evening of the same day, at dusk, about 800 or 1,000 per sons, of the most depraved and infamous racters, assembled in a field near Stepney fair, and had the bullocks secured with halters round their necks, till an appointed time, when they were let loose and hunted by men up and down through different streets, and the utmost confusion was raised about the town, in consequence of the whole of - the gang pursuieg them, being armed with sticks, bludgeons, and other weapons, and pelting stones, to the great danger of the passengers i they took their route towards Whitechapel, and several persons on the road were tossed by th° animals ; a Mrs. Williams, who lives in Lain' betiostreet, was walking along with her child in her arms, and was tossed by one ; she and her infant were injured in a dreadful manner, and con" reyed home. A porter, who was proceeding aloof; North -street, NVhitechapel, with a chest of draw" ers on his head, was likewise tossed, his drawer s were smashed, and himself gored and i e j ur eo its a terrible manner, having one of hi s arms broker); be was taken to a surgeon's in a dangerous coat don. Several other persona were tossed and not— terially injured. The villains drove the iwor beasts about the. town for a length of time, rill they he" came in a state of madness, and every D ar'''e made way for them to pass, no one daring 10 g° before them; they next dio ye towams street, Spitalfields, on entering which one o f she animals, who was more infuriated than the others, rushed into the warehouse of Messrs. Roscier anti Jacques, dyers, of that street, being followed int° the shop by a number of villains, who cow" tnenced their attack ; the whole of the windo" were,smashed, anti likewise the panels at the shi tu of the shop, and great injury was done to other parts, as likewise • the property. The Po sons employed on the premises were dread' fully injured 'by the animal, and infatrions i li, 'maltreated by the robbers wh o f o ll owe d . it. f . ,; length the men who w or ked i n th e s h op soc cee°7 in turning the villains o u t, an d manage d to-81'u- and bolt the doors; notwithstanding, the pr" soners and a great body of their companions hr‘l'k e open the place, and acted with the utmost violence with their sticks, &c.; and finding all measures to quell the riot, and prevent them from robbing the place, ineffectual, the persons in the warehouser who were furnished with fire-arms, threatened to fire on the depredators, if they did not desist from their purpose, and being disregarded, they, after subsequent entreaties, fi re d u p on t h e mob, 811`a four or five of the villains received the con; - tents of the fire-arms, and were carried out from the place by some c: their vile coal." panions, supposed for surgical assistance ; ing this time the other two animals were hunt ed by more of the 'rob round the atlacent part 6. and information hoeing been received of the dis graceful transaction at the above office, Daft"' Fortune, and Foster were dispatched instantly to quell the riot, and apprehend the delinquetos• On their going to the place, it was in the utmost cot; sternation, 'but a party of the ‘Vorship - s ire officers succeeded in 'dispersing the rioters, an ir Dalton, Fortune, and Fo s t er , at t h e p er il of e lives, rushed and seiz e d th e p r i soners , who war d armed with tremendous bl u d geons , an d appear ed most active in the aff a ir, an d brought the:ll i ! . custody to the office, D ur i ng t h e time mob - was in Hare -street, several persons 1 „ their pockets pi c k e d, an d some cut com plete l y off. An officer of Whitech a pel, nam ed - We burj/I i :i Plonket, was kn oc k e d d own on t h e grou nd' - I beat by some of th e Vill a i ns w i t h t h e i r st icks 81 13 " e bludgeons, till th e y a l most mur d ered him, end now lies in a deplorable condition, at his re st i Bence in Whitechapel. The t wo an imals "- e were drove about the street, during the transf e r don at th e a b ove warehouse', were with some ul fieulty t a k en b orne to Mr. Sheffield's premises; but the other was in such a dangerous state to b 1: let loo se , t h at t h ey were necessitated to h a ve . slaughtered in the warehouse, and afterwards c ow : vcyed hom e . The prisoners are all ill-looking fellows, well-known by the officees: On bait ) ; searched, no property was found on them, 1) 14 • their sticks appeared to have been much used in the - affray. Several witnesses were present to gig: evidence, which being satisfactory, the priOn e ei r e were fully committed to Newgate to take cb trial. - _ g Yesterday at hi h BIRTHS. iUc t , s ouse in town, the L a d y o f qa - Crawley, Esq. of a daughter. On the 23d i ns t. i n Al b emarle street, the Countess o f al. degrave, of a daughter. H ° ' On Wednesday l as t, i n Wi mp°le-street, the Right ' Lady Bridport, of a daughter. ' _.....-•• On Wednesday l as t, at Tottenham; in the 66th year °- f age, after a tedious and severe illness, borne with "tlllf christian fortitud e an d res i gnation, Charles Pratt; Esu• tlecril46 regretted by his' f am il y an d a numerous circle of friemlo- „t, was an affettionat e h us b an d , a ten d er and indulgent a kind and sincere friend. On Saturday l as t, a t h er h ouse i n Ch apel-street, Gross.°or" place, in her 27th year, the Hon. Miss Hawke. On the 22d i ns t. a t St o k e , near Pl ymouth, Mr. Alexander Usborne, late Purser of ,his Majesty's slrip Hannibal. • On Wednesday, the lath inst. in th 6 78th year of his 10"; Thomas Warburton, Es q . f ormer l y M a j or - in t h e 7thr ° Queen's Own Regiment of Dragoons. On Saturday last, at Idstone, in the county .of Ber k % Lieut.-General Cha r l es Tarrant, fate of the R o yal Engine er in Ireland, in his 89th year. ..,b!! On the evening of S a t ur d a y, th e 7t h of Fe b ruary , at house on Navy-point, Kingston, Upper C ana d a , Captain s" Robert Hall, Kist. Knight Companion of the Most ..Ilon' Military Order of the Bath, &c. , Great LONDON: Printed hy J. B. CARSTAIRS , of No. l="it .4.• Ormond-street, Queen-synare ; a n d p u bli s h e d bY SCRIPPS, of No. 7,• South Molton-street, a t Til° Office, No. 1 ti, Strand ; where Advertisements, Lottiers, s4c. (post-paid) must be addressed.